Journal or axle bearing.



W. M. HEINA.

JOURNAL OR AXLE BEARING.

APPLICATION flLEn vec a, |911.

1,288,581 Patented Dec.r 24, 191i A TOR/VEYS WILLIAM M. HEINA, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

JOURNAL 0R AXLE BEARING.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 2d, I1918.

Application filed December 6, 1917. Serial No. 205,774.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM M. HEINA, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Journal or Axle Bearing, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to journal or axle bearings and has particular reference to bearings of the smooth or plain type as distinguished from so-called anti-friction or roller bearings..

Among the objects of the invention is to provide a bearing construction that is as nearly frictionless as it is possible to make a, bearing in which there is sliding contact between adjacent parts.

Another object of the invention is to provide a bearing having maximum strength for the purposel of resisting or supporting either end thrust or lateral loads, whereby the bearing is adapted for use in such places as railway car or locomotive journals, steering knuckles of heavy motor trucks, or the like, Where so-called anti-friction roller bearings are subjected to crushing strains. In other words I aim to provide a bearing of maximum strength and very little friction, if any, without any possibility of such breakage as is so likely to disable a bearing of the roller bearing type.

A further object of the invention is to provide a journal or axle bearing including a multiplicity of relatively movable elements so arranged for relative rotation around a common axis and movable relatively to one another in such a manner that the relatively high angular' speed between the Wheel and axle for example is reduced or equalized among all of the several elements of the bearing between no adjacent two of which the 'relative angular velocity can be excessive.

Another object of the invention is to provide a bearing of the plain or smooth type in which there are a multiplicity of coaxial bearing elements one of which is relatively stationary, another of which is connected to the high speed moving part, and the intermediate plurality are free for relative move menty each to each so thatI a relatively high angular velocity of the rotating part is practically equally divided among the contacting surfaces of each adjacent pair of bearing elements.

A still further obj ect ofthe invention is to provide for a wheel an axle or analogous relatively rotating partsfa combined lateral and thrust bearing or one which is adapted to resist all friction or nearly all friction resulting from relative movement of the ,two

)arts in any direction.

lith the foregoing andother objects in view the invention consists in the arrangement and combination of parts hereinafter described and claimed, and while] the invention is not restricted to the exact details of construction disclosed or suggested herein, still for the purpose of illustrating a practical embodiment thereof reference is had to the accompanying drawings, in which like reference characters designate the same parts in the several views, and in which- Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal section of one form of my invention shown as applied to a wheel and steering knuckle of a motor car, this form of the invention typifying the combined lateral and thrust bearing features above referred to.

Fig. :2 is a central longitudinal section of another form of my improvement; and

Fig/3 is a vertical transverse section of the same on the line 3-3.

Referring now more particularly to Fig. 1 I show at 10 and 11 relatively stationary and rotary members, the same being indicated as an axle and wheel hub respectively, but with respect to the particular members it is to be understood that my improvement is adapted f' r use in connection with any two relatively rotatable members. For the urpose, however, of typifying the combined lateral and thrust functions of the improvement l show my improved bearing as being duplicated in opposite ends of the hub so as not only to adapt the improvement to this particular use, but also to provide a grease space or chamber between the two earmgs.

As above premised each bearing construction includes a multiplicity of coaxial smooti faced bearing elements shown in this instance as tive in number, the innermost element 12 being litted or otherwise carried upon the axle 10 against a shoulder 13 and hence held normally from rotation. The outermost element 14 is likewise fitted against a shoulder 15 near the inner end of the hub. The'elements 1G, 17 and 18 constitute a plurality of loose smooth faced elements interposed between the innermost and outermost elements 12 and 14, each of the intermediate elements being free to rotate independently of either element on either side thereof. These coaxial annular bearing elements are formed of vmaterial thickness and-hence are strong and rigid and able to withstand all reasonable service and resist any force or pressure applied thereto from any direction. While I am not to be restricted in the scope of thisl specification to any .particular materials l prefer to form the bearing elementsof differenti materials so that no two adjacent elements of the same material will be in contact. For example the elements 1Q, 14, and 17, may be of steel, while the elements 16 and 18 sandwiched between them maybe of bronze or some other suitable bearing metal.

As indicated lthe, intermediate elements lo, 17 and 18 are each in `the form of a hollow frustuin of a cone, the wall of cach of which is preferably of uniform thickness; lu other woials the inner and the outersurfacesof each clement are parallel and for the best service vfor lateral' and thrust purposes the geo-- metric elements of each bearing element are all arranged, 'both on the inner and the outer surfaces, at approximately forty-live degrees to the axis of the shaft or axle. Arranged as thus indicated there is little or no tendency for the adjacent or contacting surfaces of adjacent elements to bind or wedge when subjected to pressure from any direction. Furthermore, by making the intermediate or shell elements each of uniform thicknessl throughout, said elements are much better adapted for interchange or interlitting at the 'time of assemblage or re-assemhlage ol the bearings.

The various elements of cach bearing assemblage are shorter in extent with respect to the longitudinal axis of the sha t't as the distance thereof increases.from the center of the shaft. It follows from this construction that while rthe radius increases. the bearing surface remains approximately the same by reason of the fact that the inner elements are provided with longer or wider caring surfaces. Considering an inner Wider bearing surface, for instance, as S and an outer bearing surface as a, while the mean larger radius is represented by R and the inean smaller radius as r, the foregoing fact of construction may b e stated in the. form of j a proportion as follows: S:.s':: this it Will appeal' that with the several pairs of contacting surfaces approximately equal and subjected to equal strains or forces, the actual friction on the several pairs of surfaces ought to be equal. Therefore, while the element 14 carried by the huib may he considered as having,r a high relative speed of `rotation around the axle, the element 18 adjacent. thereto Will have a lower speed of rota tien due to the draf:A or retardation incident R r. From surface to the next inner element 17. In other words it may be stated as a principlekthat any element free to rotate independently of all of the others will have a relatively low disparity of speed with respect to either ele# ment adjacent thereto on either side thereof even though one of the elements may have a very high absolute rate of speed. It follows, therefore, that in Ibearings subjected to thousands of revolutions per minute as is true in modern high s ced engines I am able to produce a smooth hearing adapted to so subdivide or distribute the bearing speed among the several elements as to j'n'actically offset any tendency to excessive heating and disability of the bearing. ll will point out also as a subsidiary feature o. the construction `that the wider inner elements oi the structure tend to produce the maximum strength in proportion to the amount of inatcrial employed in thc assemblage. ln other words the innermost clement 'l2 may be re- `gai-ded as a wide ibase upon which upper or outer elements are built or supported.

The bearing structure. at the outer end ot' the hub is essentially ythe, same as has already been described and hence. the corresponding elements are similarly indicated although the structure is slightly smaller. ',lhe innermost element 11). while not presumed to rotate upon the axle is yetv morable longitudinally therco'l under the force ol the ar'ljusiment nul lil cot'iperating with thev outer end of the axle in any usual or approved manncr for the purpose ol holding the wheel in place on the axle and maintaining the proper adjustment ol lhe bearing elements cach to each. rl`he outermost clc ment 1i is litted in the outer end of the hub against a shoulder l5 and the intermediate plurality of relatively free elements lli', li" and 1S are arranged and const rucied substantially aslwreiol'ore explained in connect ion with the other end of the. hub, With. however, the direction of Vinclinalion of the geometric elements opposite to that of lhe first mentioned bearing. lt will be noted that a space 2O is provided h ween the two bearing assemblages which ayv ybe filled or partially filled with any st table-grease or lubricant. of such a nature as to be carried therein for the purpose of lubricating all' of the 'bearing surfaces indicated.

Figs. 2 and 3 illustrate thc same general arrangement, in which there are a multiplicity o coaxial bearing elements, 21, 22, 23, 24; and 25 illustrated. the same correspoiidingr broadly to the elements l2 to 'ltg'uespectively of the other type, that is to s:ty.ftarch outer element has a narrower or shorter 'bearing u referred to is strictly for resisting radial loads or presthel extent of which is inversely prol he system.r

vmentsuch as 22 to prevent the loose inter- .mediate elements from becoming displaced accidentally.

`I claim: y

1. The herein described shaft or axle bearing, the same comprising a multiplicity of rigid annular members arranged for relative rotation around a common axis, each member having movable contact with the next adjacent membeig. and each two contacting members being of different materials. 1

2. In a shaft or axle bearing, the combination with two members between which there: is `relative rotation at high speed, of

la multiplicity of bearing elements interposed between said members7 vone element )eing secured to one of said members while the element at the opposite end of the series is secured to the other member, and the remaining elements being freeto rotate with respect to one another and the first and last elements whereby the aforesaid high speed between the members is distributed equally among the several pairs of contacting bearing surfaces of all of the multiplicity of elements.

3. The combination with an. axle and a wheel mounted for relative rotation around the axis thereof at high speed, of a series of annulai` bearing elements interposed between the axle and the wheel, one of said elements being carried by the axle, another lbeing carried by the wheel7 and a plurality of said elements being interposed between the axle and wheel elements and adapted for free rotation with relation to one another and the axle andwheel members, whereby the high speed o-f. rotation of one member with respectto the other is subdivided and reduced as vbetween any two adjacent contact bearing elements.

4. In a shaft or axleA bearing, the combination with an axle and a wheel between which there is high speed of relative rotation, faced bearing elements interposed between the axle and the wheel, one of the elements being carried bylthe axle, another of the elements being carried by the wheel, and a plurality of the elements being arranged between the axle and wheel elements, said last mentioned j elements being free to rotate with relation to one another and the other elements andnmembers, and each two adjacentcontacting" bearing elements being o diderent materials.

5. 'I. Le herein described axle or shaft bearing comprising a multiplicity of smooth faced coaxial bearing elements, the several pairs of contacting surfaces between adjacent elements being of different radii from the axis and the extent or area of contact surface at each pair being approximately equal to that at any other pair,

6. The herein described shaft or axle bearing comprising 'a multiplicity of smooth faced coaxial bearing elements, the several pairs of contacting surfaces between adjacent elements being at progressively greater distances from the axis of the shaft toward the outermost-element, while the length of the bearing surface parallel to the axis is progressively greater toward the innermost element.

7. -The herein described axle or shaft bearing `comprising' aV multiplicity of coaxial bearing elements of different radii, the several elements being so constructed and de signed that the Wear incident to the'bearing will be substantially equally distributed among all pairs of contact surfaces.

WILLIAM M. HEINA.

of a multiplicity of coaxial smooth4 

